Ladders having collapsible and expandable ladder sections are used in order to make the ladder smaller for storage and transport purposes.
In the European patent EP-B1-0 527 766 a collapsible ladder is described comprising ladder bars divided into sections interconnected by rungs. In each ladder section is provided retaining or locking mechanisms, designed to automatically release the upper ladder sections, when a rung reaches a lower rung. This means, that subsequent to the release of the lowermost ladder section, the following ladder sections are automatically released, whereby the ladder collapses. However, when collapsing the ladder, the rungs are collapsing on top of each other, thereby generating a safety problem for the users hands and fingers.
Thus, there is a need for a collapsible ladder, which allows the ladder sections to be automatically released by release of the lowermost ladder section, but which provides safety spacers between the rungs to avoid injuries of a users hands or fingers.